Steel retainer for rock drills



L. L. RICHARDSON STEEL RETAINER FOR ROCK DRILLS Dec. 4, 1928.

Filed April 14, 1927 1 N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

L'En IQ. nicrmnnson,

DRILL COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

STEEL RETAINER FOR ROCK DRILLS.

Application filedApril 14, 1927. Serial .No. 183,645.

The present invention is directed to improvements in steel retainers for rock drills of the percussive type. I

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this character so constructed that the retainer can .be held positively in its Operative position to prevent ac cidental disengagement of the drill steel from the drill.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby one of the side rods of the drill can be utilized as a medium for holding the retainer in place upon the drill.

In the accompanying drawing 2-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the front head of a rock drill, partly in section.

Figure 2 is a front view of retainer.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the front head of a drill of the percussive type having a drill steel 2 engaged therein and provided with the conventional collar-3.

The front head 1 is held in place on the drill cylinder 3' by side rods 4 as is customary. One of the side rods 4 is threaded, as at 5,

as is customary and has an axial socket 6 formed therein. Mounted in the socket 6 is a coil spring 7 and slidable in said socket is a plunger 8 having a reduced extension 9 and resultant annular shoulder 10 and against which the outer end of the spring 7 rests,

the extension being confined within the helices of the spring. The spring 7 serves to normally hold the p1unger 8 in such position that its outer end will be extended from the socket 6. the purpose of which will be later explained.

Threaded upon the outer end of one of the side rods 4 is a block 11, the forward end of which has formed integral therewith a hook 12 for pivotally coupling the retainer 13 to the drill.

The retainer 13 is formed from a single blank of metal and comprises angula-rly disposed arms 14 and 15, the former having an eye 16 for pivotally engaging the hook 12.

The arms 14and 15 have formed therein re- ATENT OFFICE.T

or CLEVELAND, OHIO, nssieivon 'ro THE CLEVELAND ROCK ,In order that the retainer willbe maintaine'd positively in its open position regardless of the angular position of the drill the rim of the eye 16 is formed with a fiat face" 19 adapted to be yieldably engaged by the outer end of the-plunger 8. Owingto the presence of the spring 7, the retainer can be swung to its open or closed position with little effort, and when in either position the plunger will maintain the same set. It will be of course understood that when the flat face 19 is fully engaged with the ends of the plunger the holding action will be more positive than when the face 19 is angularly disposed with respect thereto, as shown in dot-ted lines in Figure 1. 7

Since the plunger 8 can be forced into the socket '6 the retainer can be conveniently removed from the drill or replaced thereon.

The side rod 4 which carries the block not only performs its function, but serves as means for connecting the retainer to the drill head. From the foregoing it will be observed that the block 11 is used in lieu of one of the usual side rod nuts, there being a pair of springs 20 interposed between the block 11 and front head flange 21 of the drill.

Having thus described the invention, I l

claim:

1. The combination with the cylinder of a rock drill, of a front headltherefor, a drill steel operatively connected with the front. head and provided with a collar, siderods for holding the front head and cylinder together, a block upon one of the side rods, a spring pressed plunger slidably contained in said side rod, a drill steel retainerenoircling the drill steel in advance of the collar,

said retainer being pivotally engaged with the block and yieldably engaged by the plunger. 1 i

2. The-combination with the cylinder of a rock drill, of a front head, a drill steel operatively connected with the front head and provided with a collar, side rods for holding the front head and cylinder together, a spring pressed plunger slidable in one of the side rods, a block engaged with said side rod and having a hook carried thereby, a drill steel retainer encircling the drill steel in advance of the collar, said retainer having an eye for pivotally engaging the hook, the rim of the eye being yieldably engaged by said plunger, as and for the purpose set forth.

' 3. The combination with the cylinder of a rock drill, ofafront head, a drill steel operatively connected therewith and having a collar, side rods for holding the cylinder and front head together, one of saidside rods having a socket therein, a spring pressed plunger in said socket, a block mounted on ably engaging the pivotal means for maintaining the retainer in its operative position. 4.The combination with the cylinderof a rock drill, of a front head, side rods for holding the cylinder and front head together, a drill steel operatively connected with the front head andhaving a collar, a block engaged with one side rod, a drill steel retainer pivotally connected with the block and encircling the drill steel in advance of the collar, and means slidably contained in said side rod for yieldably engaging the retainer to hold the same in its operative position.

5. The combination with the cylinderof a rock drill, of a front head, side rods for holding the cylinder and front 'head together, a spring pressed plunger slidable in one of the side rods,'a block carried by said side rod, a hook carried by the block, a drill steel operatively connected with the front head and having a collar, a drill steel retainer comprising angular-1y disposed arms having communicating apertures therein for accommodating the drill steel, one of the arms having an eye for pivotally engaging the hook, the

rim of the eye having a fiat face for engagement with the plunger to yieldably maintain the retainer 'in its operative position.

In testimony v LED L. RICHARDSON.

whereof I afiix my signature. 

